Director's Fund

Geographic Scope: Maine Space Grant Consortium member institutions

Purpose:
The Director's Fund is a multi-purpose fund that supports all priority areas: Research, Higher Education, Pre-college Education, and Public Service. It responds to unanticipated events that meet specific criteria.

Staff Initiated Costs

• Cost: $500 or less
• Requires immediate attention
• Timing prevents consideration through annual budgeting process
• Real opportunity to enhance the Consortium's mission

Outside Requests

• Cost: $500 or less
• Requires immediate attention
• Critical opportunity that would be lost if not funded
• Non-consortium funding is not available or insufficient
• Timing prevents consideration through normal granting procedure
• Real opportunity to enhance the Consortium's mission

Fund Guidelines:

• Each disbursement shall not exceed $500
• Director shall not support more than one request from the same individual or organization in the same year
• Unexpended amounts at end of budget year carry forward to general budget

Supported Activity Examples:

• Faculty attending conferences (Research Infrastructure)
• Space Camp scholarships for students (pre-college education)
• Travel expenses for class trips to NASA exhibits (pre-college)
• Challenger Learning Center classroom missions (pre-college)
• Travel for educators to national conferences (pre-college education)
• High School HOBO Sensor projects (pre-college)

Application Process

Individuals interested in the Director's Fund should submit:

1. Letter containing:
   • Purpose of the activity
   • Explanation of how the request meets the Fund's criteria for support
   • Brief budget
2. Submission:
   • Email to: Jana Hall (contact at msgc.org)